Leviathan

The Metamorphosis: In The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka suggests that the deep roots of societal values are determined, not by character, but by what others can you for oneself. Gregor Sansa is a man who fell victim to the selfish morals of others. In The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka suggests that societal values are based upon our own needs and are changed when those needs are distorted by external factors. Grete’s distortion towards her brother, Gregor, is evident when she asserts, “I won't…

What happens when a man gains complete control over another man’s life? Even if that man is kind and giving, what does it say about a man who owns another man’s existence; his life, his death, every part of him? To mold another man in an experiment and take away that which makes him human is undoubtedly inhumane. In The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson, Mr. Gitney, who also goes by Mr. 03-01, does just that. In an effort to prove whether or not African and Caucasian people…

This is a paper comparing the Aristotle and Hobbes understandings of human nature. Aristotle states that man is a “political animal”, and that it is thus natural for man to live in a polis. Hobbes disagrees with this understanding of man a political animal, as he claims that man is actually a greedy being that is driven by power. Thus he feels that the natural state of man is a state of war. Although the two disagree initially about the man’s natural state, Aristotle comes to agree with Hobbes’…

Despite being concerned with two different objectives, Hobbes with the commonwealth concerned and Descartes with certain knowledge, both thinkers fundamentally challenged key Aristotelian notions. Hobbes challenges Aristotle’s fundamental idea that humans’ natural tendency is for society by stating that the natural state is that of war. Descartes, on the other hand, reorganizes and inverts Aristotle’s outline of the soul by creating his dualist separation of the mind and body. In their writings,…

Thomas Hobbes is a political philosopher known for seeking the philosophical basis of lasting peace. Hobbes is known for his philosophical theories, specifically his social contracts theory. In this paper I will argue how a certain passage from Thomas Hobbes reflects on his main argument of that human beings will never come completely together and agree on how they can all live together. The passage from Hobbes that I will be responding to says, “Whatsoever therefore is consequent to a time of…

ESSAY II Leviathan was a book written by Thomas Hobbes and it was published in 1651. It is an interesting read that intertwines systems of governance, psychology, ethics, philosophy, theology and other fields of study. Hobbes wrote Leviathan with the intention to correct the outcome in the political spheres of London and France that were shaken up by civil wars at the time (1642 – 1651). Hobbes wrote Leviathan with every principle as a foundation of understanding for the next. His arguments are…

Benjamin Franklin once said, “The strictest law sometimes becomes the severest injustice.” All men are created equal, the strictest law, but the most severe injustice. Men, not men and women are created equal. Men, only with white skin, not black skin are created equal. To further explain, social injustice is defined the unfair treatment in which the rights of a person or a group of people are ignored. People are victimized due to their unfavorable traits determined by society. In his novel Of…

Of the three types of conflict, man vs. man, man vs. nature, and man vs. self, which is the dominant conflict in the story? Is this conflict resolved? “The Stirring Within Her” Throughout “Hills Like White Elephants,” the dominant conflict that remains is man vs. self. The decision to have this be the conflict provides insight on the girl as a character and the relationship that she has with the man, as well as aiding in the resolution of the short story. This conflict is instilled in the…

Starting off, they each had a distinctive understanding of human nature from one another. To Rousseau, humans in primitive times were "noble savages" and it is "civilization" that turned man into a "beast". Conversely, Hobbes believed that being "civilized" is a positive trait and being uncivilized or a "savage" is bad. Concerning human nature, Rousseau theorized that humans were innately good and generous, before being corrupted by the vices of civilization. Human life was most likely peaceful…

What does it mean “to be in one’s right mind”? In Crime and Punishment, the “Crime” is committed in Part I, and the “Punishment” comes hundreds of pages later, in the Epilogue. In between, Dostoevsky delves into the inner world of Raskolnikov, exploring doubts, paranoia, despair, fear, and, most prominently, madness. From the very beginning, Raskolnikov is on the brink of mental collapse. He talks to himself in public, lies in bed alone all day, and barely eats. He walks meaninglessly around…